More details from Riedel (www.riedel.net):
Barracuda Racing of the IZOD IndyCar Series has debuted its Riedel Communications equipment at the Indianapolis 500. Throughout the 97th running of the renowned 500-mile race, held May 26, Riedel’s innovative solutions provided the Bryan Herta Autosport (BHA) team with a comprehensive and reliable radio package connecting all Barracuda Racing team members, including the pit crew and driver.
“Riedel has long been a communications system provider in major motorsports throughout the world, so we were confident that it could stand up to the notoriously challenging RF environment at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway,” said Bryan Herta, team owner at Bryan Herta Autosport. “The Riedel system lived up to our expectations, enabling us to maintain a clear signal to and from the car at all times.”
The Indianapolis 500, one of the world’s most famous and prestigious auto races, currently is the marquee race on the schedule of the IZOD IndyCar Series, the premier open-wheel racing series in North America. For the 2013 race, the Barracuda Racing team interfaced a Riedel Artist 32 digital matrix intercom, used by those racing-team members who were hard-wired in the pits and timing stand, with a radio system used by the crew members who worked “over the wall” or required mobility throughout the pit lane. The Artist system supported various keypanels and five digital two-channel Performer Digital Partyline Intercom beltpacks with MAX high-performance headsets. The radio system included 28 Motorola radios and racing headsets, 12 helmet kits for the driver and crew, and 16 MAX headsets.
The intercom system allowed for increased communication efficiency within the timing stand, and it leveraged multiple Riedel RiFace universal radio interface systems to link the intercom with the pit crew’s digital radios. Using this solution, the Barracuda Racing team was able to segment frequency utilization for further efficiency by providing dedicated frequencies for transmit/receive to and from the race car, sometimes traveling at speeds of over 200 mph, for vastly increased clarity.
“As any fan of racing knows, clear communications between team members and the driver is a critical element in a successful race,” said Aaron Boese, sports solutions manager, North America, at Riedel Communications. “We are pleased to have provided a reliable, high-performance communications system that allows the Barracuda Racing team to focus on winning races.”
